A/N: I'm here with a new one-shot for you all! I've actually never written Ronniecoln before haha. Also, they're both 21 in this. Enjoy!
"Next week on The Dream Boat, will Ashley and Blake's date be a total disaster? Tune in to see!"
Lincoln used the television as background noise as he drew in his sketchbook. It really helped him concentrate. Besides, one of his sisters would probably call him later to give him the details of the latest episode, anyway.
"Hmm", he hummed as he looked at his drawing. "Needs a bit more over here".
The past few years, he had taken a liking to art. Since then, he had been working on a graphic novel, as well as casual art. That wasn't the only thing he had done in the past ten years…
He turned his head over to the door as it swung open.
"Hey, sweetie", Lincoln said. "How was your day?"
Ronnie Anne closed the door behind her and sat next to him on the couch. "It wasn't bad", she said. "But it wasn't good either".
Lincoln put his sketchbook down, and rubbed her back. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
She looked at him. "Yeah, though it's not that big of a deal", she said.
"Hey, anything that upsets my girl is a big deal to me"
She chuckled. "Stop being so cheesy", she said as she gave him a light punch on the arm. "Maybe we can talk about it though…over some pizza?"
Lincoln grabbed the phone. "Now we're talking", he said.
It had taken a few years, but Lincoln somehow finally managed to ask Ronnie Anne out. They began officially dating in high school, and no one was really surprised. Especially his sisters. Having a long-distance relationship was hard though.
A few months ago, Ronnie Anne moved back to Royal Woods so that they could get an apartment together. It was hard for Lincoln to move away from his sisters, as it was for Ronnie Anne to be away from her family, but they made it work.
They did pretty well. Lincoln was taking art classes at the local community college, and in the meantime, he would draw things and sell them online. Ronnie Anne worked as a secretary in a local office. It wasn't the perfect job, but she enjoyed it.
People could be really rude though.
They sat on the couch, eating pizza as Ronnie Anne told about her day.
"I know that I'm tough, I can handle things", she said. "But sometimes I just don't know, Lincoln. I really don't".
"Hey, it's alright", he said. "You don't have to be tough all the time. People are gonna be rude, we're gonna have bad days. That's just how it is".
Ronnie Anne slumped. "Yeah, I guess you're right…"
Lincoln could tell she was stressed. She had been taking a few extra shifts the past few weeks. That gave Lincoln an idea.
"Hey, I know just what you need", he said. "I'm gonna take you out tomorrow".
"Lincoln, you don't have to do that"
He grabbed her hand. "I want to", he said. "It feels like we haven't been spending as much time together. When was the last time we just, ya know, went out together?"
She thought for a second. "You're right", she said. "It's been way too long".
"Let me plan everything"
"You and your plans", she chuckled, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Okay, I'm in".
"Good", he said. "Now hand me a soda, please?"
"How much farther?"
"We're almost there, just keep it on"
"This had better be good"
"Oh trust me, you'll love it"
Lincoln led Ronnie Anne through the streets of Royal Woods. She had on a blindfold.
He led her up to the doors of a building. "Okay, here we are"
She removed the blindfold and looked up at the sign. "Gus's Games and Grub?", she said. "We haven't been here in years".
He nodded. "I know", he said. "That's why I brought us here".
"You're so cheesy"
"Not as cheesy as that pizza we had last night"
Ronnie Anne rolled her eyes. "You act more like Luan every day".
He laughed. "Well she is my sister".
"Be prepared because I'm going to kick your butt at Dance Dance", she said with a smirk.
"Oh, it is on"
They entered the arcade, and were immediately hit with a wave of nostalgia. The smell of garlic knots, the sound of the tokens going into the machines.
"What do you wanna do first?", he asked as he grabbed her hand.
She took a look around. "They have a lot of new ones here", she said. "I still think we should go for Dance Dance first".
"Okay, I'm up for it"
They headed over to the machine. It was a typical dance game. It had two big step pads with a giant screen.
They stepped up onto the platform, and Lincoln put some tokens into the slot.
"Okay Lame-o, you have to let go of my hand now"
He pouted. "Aw, I can't dance and hold your hand?"
"I can't with you, I swear"
The game started, and they moved their feet along with the symbols on the screen. They didn't do just one game, more like five.
"Ah yes!", Ronnie Anne exclaimed. "I win, again".
Lincoln looked as he watched her jump up and down. "Good game, eh Santiago?", he said as he held out his hand.
"Good game, Loud", she said as she shook his hand.
"Are you hungry?"
"Yeah, a bit"
"Great, because I ordered something special"
She raised a brow. "Oh yeah?"
He nodded. "Just go sit down"
Ronnie Anne went over to a booth, while Lincoln made his way up to the counter. He came back to the table with a bag of garlic knots.
"This is special?"
He nodded. "Well I figured you wouldn't want pizza since we had that last night", he said. "But these are special. This is what we ate that night we came here together".
She thought for a moment. "Oh, I remember now", she said. "It was that day you hid from me at school because you thought I would ask you to the dance".
"That's the one"
"We came here after, and I beat your ass at Dance Dance".
"Then we sat here for the rest of the night and ate these", Lincoln said as he picked one up. "Well it wasn't the whole night, I think Lori came and got me right before they closed".
"That was a good night", said Ronnie Anne as she stuck one in her mouth. "You're just as lame now as you were then".
Lincoln laughed. "You're one to talk".
Ronnie Anne looked over at the prizes hanging above the counter. "I remember when you got me one of those too", she said pointing.
He turned around and saw a yellow sweatshirt with "RW" written on it.
"Oh yeah, I did", he said. "Clyde and I spent all day trying to get enough tickets for that".
"I think I still have it", she said. "It's in a box somewhere".
"It's nice to know that you loved it enough to keep it"
"Of course I did", she said. "It was a special gift from a special boy".
"You didn't think I was special then though did you?"
"I can't remember much from those days, but I never hated you, if that helps", she said. "If I did, then I wouldn't be here with you now, would I?"
"Good point", he said. "Finish that up because we have somewhere else to be, too".
"Do I really have to wear this again?"
"Yep, it's a surprise"
Lincoln led Ronnie Anne up to a spot on the hill. He had her sit down.
"Okay, open!"
She removed the blindfold to see that they were at the park. They were sitting on a blanket underneath a tree. It was right on top of a hill, so they could see the whole park.
"What is this?"
"Well, it was going to be a picnic, but we already ate", he said. "So, I figured that we'd just sit here and hang out".
"Again, this is so cheesy", she said. "But I love it".
"I feel like it's been so long since we were on a real date, especially one where I didn't get help from my sisters".
Ronnie Anne smiled and leaned back against the tree.
Lincoln put his hand on top of hers and rubbed it with his thumb. "So", he said. "What do you like about me?"
Ronnie Anne laughed. "Oh I don't know, I've only told you about fifty times", she said.
"Tell me again, I forgot"
"You're such a dork", she said. "But, if I had to pick..."
She brought her hand up to his head, and pulled on his cowlick. "I've always loved your hair. At first I thought it made you look like an old man", they both laughed. "But it really fits you".
He rubbed his hair. "Go on"
"You're too sweet, maybe even for your own good", she said. She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "But I love it"
A small blush ran across his cheeks. "Keep going"
"This one is my favorite", she said. "You didn't see me as a monster. I was so mean to you all those years ago, but you didn't abandon me. You took the time to become my best friend, to see another side of me. I'd be lying if I said that there were times when I thought I'd never be good enough for you. You see the good in everyone, Lincoln Loud. I find that very attractive".
Lincoln smiled, and gave her a peck on the lips. "I love you, Ronnie Anne Santiago".
She threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him again, going deeper. "I love you too, Lame-o".
He put his arms around her back, and she put her head in his shoulder.
"Now it's your turn", she said. "Tell me what you like about me".
"You're tough", he said. "I love how you know how to defend yourself".
She closed her eyes. "What else?"
"You're beautiful, and always have been", he said as he stroked her hair.
"See you are too sweet", she said as she hugged him tighter. "Is that it?"
"Well…there is one other thing, but it hasn't happened, yet".
She opened her eyes to look at him. "What do you mean?"
"There is one thing that I know you'll be wonderful at", he said as he moved away from her. "But I have to ask you about it first".
He stood up for a moment, and fumbled around with something in his pocket. He wasn't sure if he could go through with this. He had been practicing for a few days, but his hands were so sweaty that he was afraid he would drop it. He was so nervous that he thought he would stumble on his words.
He moved a bit closer to her, and started to get down on one knee.
"I-I had s-something planned for this, b-but n-nothing I could ever prepare f-for would be the p-perfect thing for me to s-say".
Ronnie Anne was speechless. She thought it was cute the way he was stuttering.
"You're an amazing person, and I feel so honored to have known you all of these years", he continued. "At eleven years old I had no idea what love was, but I think I do now".
"Ronalda Anne Santiago", he said as he grabbed her hand. "It would be an honor to be your husband, and for you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"
Ronnie Anne could feel the tears begin to slip down her face. "Of course I will, Lincoln", she said.
He took the ring, and slipped it onto her finger. She threw her arms around him again.
"It would be an honor to spend the rest of my life with you", she said. She moved her head so that she was looking at him. "I'll be the best wife ever".
He lifted his hand up and moved a piece of hair off her face. He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips. "And I'll be the best husband ever", he said.
She hugged him tight, and moved onto his lap. They laid there for the rest of the day, watching the sunset and the kids playing down at the bottom of the hill.
It was the start of a new chapter in both of their lives.